Stone dressing and planing machines



Nov. 17, 1959 A. MAssoN 2,912,969

STONE DRESSING AND PLANING MACHINES Filed Oct. 1, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR.

Nov. 17, 1959 A; MASSON 2,912,959

7 1 sworn. DRESSING AND PLANING MACHINES I Filed Oct. 1, 1957 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I .Nov. 17, 1959 A. MASSON 2,912,969

STONE DRESSING AND PLANING MACHINES Filed Oct. 1, 195'! Y s Sheets-Sheet s 3 INVENTOR.

United States Patent STONE DRESSING AND PLANING MACHINES Auguste Masson, Saint-Martin-Belle-Roche, France Application October 1,1957, Serial No. 687,444 Claims priority, application France October 19, 1956 2 Claims. (Cl. 125-23) This invention relates to stone dressing and planing machines and it' more particularly concerns a dressing and planing machine for the stone blocks or rubble stones used for the erection of buildings.

Rubble stones of rectangular shape generally comprise five sides which are appropriately planed and dressed, and a sixth side or facing'which is adapted to be disposed on the outer side of the building. This facing side should therefore be particularly well trimmed and it is generally provided with an appropriate ornamental design, such a design being conventionally formed of a rough central portion surrounded by a dressed marginal zone.

The machine according to this invention comprises two opposed horizontal blades adapted to dress and to plane the five inner sides of the stone block, fluid pressure rams to move the said blades vertically, two opposed vertical blades adapted to dress the four edges of the facing side of the block in cooperation with the two aforesaid horizontal blades, and fluid pressure rams to move the said vertical blades horizontally.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention the'frame of the machine carries two opposed pairs of vertical rams, each pair actuating a horizontal stone cutting blade. The frame further comprises two lateral extensions on each of which is mounted a horizontal ram, the rod of this ram carrying a vertical blade adapted to dress one of the vertical marginal portions of the facing side of the block.

It will be appreciated that the dressing and planing of the first five sides ofthe stone block may be obtained by disposing the latter on the machine table and by actuating the vertical rams. The upper blade is first lowered and the lower blade is then raised to meet the upper one. The pressure of the cutting edge of the upper blade maintains the block and prevents the latter from rising under the action of the lower blade. The five sides are thus planed and dressed. For realizing the facing side of the block, the horizontal blades are first actuated. through a given distance to obtain the upper and lower dressed marginal zones, and thereafter the vertical blades are in turn operated to dress the lateral vertical zones.

The improved machine according to the invention preferably comprises a slidable resting head transversely disposed on the machine table, the said head being actuated forwardly by a central ram and the said head carrying in turn three separately actuated rams adapted to act on the stone block disposed in front of the said head to maintain the latter against the reaction of the cutting blades.

In the annexed drawings:

Fig. l is a front view of a stone dressing and planing machine according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l, but illustrating the machine during the production of the facing side 9f the block.

Figs, 5 to 8 diagrammatically illustrate a stone block at successive steps of the planing and dressing thereof.

Figs. 9 and 10 show two possible embodiments of the facing side of a rubble stone.

Fig. 1-1 is a diagram showing the connections between the hydraulic rams and their actuating means.

The machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 comprises a metallic-frame 1, of general rectangular shape, provided with two lateral extensions 1a and 1b. The lower portion of this frame carries the fluid pressure generator unit comprising motor 2, pump 3, and tank, 4, the said unit being of any conventional construction.

Within the machine frame there is disposed a fixed table 5 adapted to support the stone block. Table 5 also carries a slidable head 6 which may be displaced by a ram'7 in a longitudinal direction i.e. from the rear of the machine towards the front thereof and vice versa. Head 6 is appropriately guided by guides, not illustrated, as for instance by longitudinal columns disposed on either side of table 5 at an appropriate height above the upper face thereof. Ram 7 is controlled by means of a distributor of conventional construction, the said distributor being operated by means of Ian actuating member 8 disposed on the lower transverse member of the front side of the machine. Head 6 in turn carries three longitudinal rams 9, 10, 11 the rods of which project in front of the said head to form stone pushing members, as explainedbelow. As illustrated in Fig. 1, rams 9, 1t), 11, as viewed in this figure, are preferably disposed at the apices of an equilateral triangle. Rams 9, 10, 11 are controlled by means of separate distributors individually operated by actuating members 12, 13, 14 also disposed on the lower transverse member of the front side of the machine.

The machine illustrated further comprises a pair of opposed vertically movable horizontal blades 15 and 16. The upper blade 15 is actuated by a pair of vertical rams 17 secured to the frame. Rams 17 are controlled in unison by a distributor operated by means of an actuating handle 18 disposed on, extension In of frame 1. The lower blade 16 is similarly actuated by a pair of rams 19 controlled through a handle 20 disposed on extension 1b. Blades 15 and 16 are conveniently removable.

Each extension 1a, 1b carries a horizontal ram, respectively 21, 22, operatable through a handle, respectively 23, 24, and the rod of each ram carries a vertical blade, respectively 25, 26, in such a manner that the said blades 25, 26 may be moved horizontally towards eachotherz The upper transverse member of frame 1 supports a, bracket 27 on the lower side of which is secured a downwardly extendingram 28 the rod 29 of which is adapted to 'clampthe stone block on table 5, as explained below,

the said ram being operatable through a member 30 disposed in line with the above mentioned members 8, 12, 13 and 14 on the lower front transverse member of the frame.

Members 8, 12, 13, 14 and 30 are conveniently in the form of pedals.

Fig. 11 shows the general arrangement of the hydraulic rams and of their actuating means. This figure very diagrammatically reproduces the main elements of the machine as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, these elements being shown in perspective.

The electric motor 2 drives a pump 3 which draws liquid from tank 4 and forces same through conduits 31 and 32. Liquid from conduit 31 is supplied to a first twoway distributor or valve actuated by the above described handle 18 and which has been referenced'118 in Fig. 11. These two way-valve controls both rams 17 which are connected in parallel as shown. Liquid from conduit 31 also suppliesanother two-way valve 124 which controls rams 22, the said valve 124 being actuated by the above 3 described handle 24. Liquid exhausting from valves 118 and 124 flows back to tank 4 through conduit 33.

In the same manner conduit 32 supplies liquid under pressure to valves 114, 113, 112, 108, 130, 120 and 123 which respectively control rams 11, 10, 9, 7, 23, 19 and 21, liquid exhausting from the said valves being returned to tank 4 through conduit 33. Valves 114, 113, 112, 108, 130 are respectively actuated by pedals 14, 13, 12, 8, 30, while valves 120, 123 are respectively actuated by handles 20 and 23.

The various valves may be of the rotary type or of the sliding or piston type.

The machine described is preferably operated as follows: a

A rough stone block, such as indicated in Fig. 5, is first disposed on table 1. Members or pedals 12, 13 and 14 are operated to cause the ends of rams 9, 10 and 11 to engage the rear side of the block. Ram 7 is then operated through pedal 8 to push the stone block forwardly until its front vertical side is slightly beyond the vertical plane of blades 15 and 16. The upper horizontal blade 15 is first set in motion downwardly by means of handle 18 and of rams 17, and thereafter the lower blade 16 is raised by handle 20 and rams 19 until it meets the upper blade. It is to be noted that during this operative step the stone block is applied on table 5 by the action of the downwardly moving upper blade and is thus prevented from rising under the action of the lower blade. The block may besides be clamped by means of the upper ram 28, 29. The blade holders are conveniently provided with abutments, not illustrated, which prevent the cutting edges of the blades from coming into direct contact at the end of this operation. The blades are thereafter returned to their initial position. The front side of the stone block is thus planed and dressed, as indicated at A in Fig. 6.

The same operative steps are then repeated for another side B (Fig. 7) of the block, and so on for five of the six sides thereof.

The remaining rough side or sixth side C (Fig. 8) of the stone block is adapted to form the front or facing side thereof. The block is first disposed on table 5 with the said side C facing towards the front end of the machine and it is appropriately positioned by means of rams 9, 10, 11 and 7, as above explained for side A. The upper ram 28 is then operated through handle '30 in such manner that the rod 29 thereof engages the upper face B of the stone block to clamp same on table 5. Blades 15 and 16 are then actuated to plane and dress the upper and lower marginal portion of facing C on a height of the order of one or two inches. Blades 25 and 26 are thereafter actuated in the same manner whereby there is obtained at rubble stone as illustrated in Fig. 9.

It will be appreciated that the co-action of blades 15, 16 and 25, 26 permits of obtaining any desired design on the facing, as for instance the design illustrated in Fig. wherein oblique lines are formed by setting the block at an angle on table 5 by means of appropriate wedging members.

I claim:

1. A stone dressing and planing machine comprising a frame having a front and a rear end; a block supporting table secured on said frame; a transverse head movable on said table longitudinally with respect to said frame; a longitudinal fluid-pressure ram carried by said frame to displace said head on said table towards the front end of said frame; means to operate said ram; a plurality of substantially longitudinal fluid-pressure rams carried by said head on the side thereof which faces the front end of said frame, the rods of said rams being adapted to form retaining members for the rear side of a stone block dis posed on said table in front of said head; means to selectively operate said last-named rams; vertical downwardly acting fluid-pressure rams carried by said frame at the front end thereof above said table; means to operate said last-named rams in unison; an upper horizontal stone cutting blade carried by said downwardly acting rams'to act on the front side of a stone block disposed on said table; vertical upwardly acting fiuid-pressure rams carried by said frame at the front end thereof below said table; means to operate said last-named rams in unison; a lower horizontal stone cutting blade carried by said upwardly acting rams to act on the front side of a stone block disposed on said table and projecting beyond the front edge thereof, said lower horizontal blade being substantially in the same plane as said upper horizontal blade; a first transverse horizontal fluid-pressure ram secured on said frame at the front end thereof and on one side of said table with its rod directed towards said table; means to operate said first transverse horizontal ram; a first vertical stone-cutting blade carried by said first transverse horizontal ram to act on the front side of a stone block disposed on said table, substantially in the same plane as said upper and lower horizontal blades; a second transverse horizontal fluid-pressure ram secured on said frame at the front end thereof and on the other side of said table with respect to said first transverse horizontal ram, said second transverse horizontal ram having its rod directed towards said table; means to operate said second transverse horizontal ram; and a second vertical stone cutting blade carried by said second transverse horizontal ram to act on the front side of a block disposed onsaid table, substantially in the same plane as said first transverse horizontal blade.

2. In a machine as claimed in claim 1, an additional vertical downwardly acting fluid-pressure ram carried by said frame rearwardly of the front end thereof to clamp a stone block on said table.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 768,316 Smith et al. Aug. 23, 1904 1,117,926 Stroud Nov. 17, 1914 2,762,359 Entz Sept. 11, 1956 huumvi 

